Material storage means



Jan. 12, 1965 p, BEHLEN ETAL 3,165,054

MATERIAL STORAGE MEANS Filed May 31, 1962 m f'lf. I

" k as p INETORS- Wig.

A oe/114W a 776910.95 ITTOKIVEFJ United States Patent 3,165,054 MATERIAL STORAGE MEANS Herbert P. Behlen and Walter E). Behlen, Columbus, Nehru, assignors to Behlen Manufacturing Company, Inc., Columbus, Nehru, a corporation of Nebraska Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 198,899 4 Claims. (Cl. 99-235) This invention relates to material storage bins of the sealed type, and more particularly to sealed storage bins for material, such as high moisture containing grain, chopped forages and like.

The general idea of sealed storage bins which have a gas expandable means for gases is old. Heretofore, however, such devices have had several drawbacks. One such drawback is that the expandable chambers previously incorporated were not of a configuration to enhance the separation of undesirable gases from desirable gases. Another drawback is that heretofore the ex pansible chambers were constructed as an integral part of the storage bins, thus undesirably complicating the storage structure.

A further drawback to the common sealed storage bin is that it may, due to temperature changes, either rupture outwardly due to internal pressure or rupture inwardly due to pressures less than that of the outside atmospheric pressure.

Some of these problems were solved by having a separate building for housing the expandable means which often consisted of a flexible balloon. The objection, however, to the balloon system was the cost and necessary complicated valve structures.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of our invention is to provide a storage bin having a separate gas stratifying detached expansion chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sealed storage bin having a separated expansion chamber which will separate the heavier desirable gases from the lighter undesirable gases and will materially retain the desirable heavier gases for re-entry into the bin when the interior of the bin passes to a minus atmospheric pressure.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a sealed storage bin incorporating, as a separate unit, a vertically elongated gas stratifying chamber adapted to have its bottom operatively connected by means of an air passage conduit to the top of the sealed storage bin, and with a top outlet in the chamber, whereby the lighter gases will be the first to escape from the installation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sealed storage bin and attendant expansion gas stratifying housing that after installation requires no upkeep or attention.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sealed storage bin and attendant gas stratifying expansion unit that is automatic in operation.

Still further objects of our invention are to provide a gas stratifying expansion unit for sealed housings that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of our device in use showing the expansion phase and with sections cut away to more fully illustrate its construction, and

FIG. 2 is a side view of our device in use showing the jectionable lightweight gases to escape.

3,165,654 Patented Jan. 12., 1965 contraction phase and with sections cut away to more fully illustrate its construction.

In the drawings, the numeral it generally designates a common sealed grain storage bin of standard configuration, having a base 12, vertical cylindrical sides 14, and a conical top portion 16. The storage bin 10 is filled through the usual opening in the top 16 and such opening is sealed by the lid 18. v

It is well known in the art that the best gas medium for grain storage is C0 C0 being heavier, will separate from undesirable lighter gas mediums.

Therefore, two problems exist, i.e., to permit the sealed bin to equalize its internal atmospheric pressure with that of the outside atmosphere pressure and to permit ob- A bin having high moisture containing grain, silage, or like, will generate gases beyond that of the air in the bin. To permit this controlled breathing of the bin, we have provided a separate auxiliary device and which we will now describe in detail.

Separate from and in spaced relation to the storage bin 10 is a vertically elongated rigid chamber generally designated by the numeral 22. The chamber 22 is composed of a base 24, a vertically extending rigid cylindrical Wall 26, and a top cover means 28.

A conduit pipe 30 has one end in communication with substantially the inside topmost area of the interior of the storage bin 10 and its other end communicating with the inside and into the bottom area of the interior of the shell or chamber 22.

The numeral 32 designates a pipe means having one end communicating with the inside top of the stratifying tank unit 22 and its other end communicating with the outside atmosphere as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that no valve means is employed.

The inside bottom of the gas stratifying chamber unit 22 communicates with the inside top of the granary, bin, tank or like 10, and the inside top of the chamber unit 22 is open to the outside atmosphere.

By this arrangement of parts, gases, including air, carbon dioxide (CO lighter gases, and like will when the interior of the bin is of a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere, pass from the bin through the pipe 30 and into the gas stratifying chamber 22. The heavy gases (CO will tend to stratify or separate from the lighter gases in the unit 22, with the undesirable lighter gases passing into the top area of the unit 22 as shown in FIG. 1. The heavier desirable gases will collect and remain in the lower area of the unit 22.

Weather conditions, and even the difference of temperatures between night and day, will cause the bin to breathe.

If during the day, or if the gases inside the bin 10 rise in temperature, they will expand and will be equalized with the outside atmospheric pressure by automatically flowing through the pipe 30 into the bottom of the unit 22. The surplus expanded gases will flow up wardly in the unit 22 and out the pipe means 32. As before indicated the heavy gases will remain in the bottom area of the unit 22. If the pressure inside the bin drops to a pressure below the outside atmosphere, the desirable heavy gas in the bottom of the unit will be drawn through the pipe 30 and back into the upper area of the bin.

We have used the numeral 34 to designate the material in the bin 10. The heavy gases are designated by the numeral 36 and the light gases by the numeral 38. The container 10 and container 22 have their bottom areas in substantially the same horizontal plane.

It will be obvious that we have a highly desirable storage means and that We preserve the desirable CO areas-ea which is recognized as the best possible preservative for high moisture content feeds.

Some changes may he made in the construction and arrangement of our material storage means Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention', and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any

1 modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included Within their scope. I

We claim: 1. In a material storage and preserving means, comprising in combination,

a scalable material storage container, a gas stratifying container having its inside upper area in communication with the outside atmosphere, and a conduit having one end communicating with the inside top area of said storage container, and its other end communicating with the inside bottom area of said gas stratifying container. 2. In a material storage and preserving means, comprising in combination,

a sealable material storage container, a gas stratifying container having its inside upper area in communication With the outside atmosphere, and a conduit having one end communicating with the inside top area of said storage container, and its other end communicating with the inside bottom area of said gas stratifying container; said conduit being free of valve means.

3. In a material storage and preserving means, comprising in combination,

a seaiable material storage container, a gas stratifying container having its inside upper area in communication With the outside atmosphere, and a conduit having one end communicating with the inside top area of said storage container, and its other end communicating with the inside bottom area of said gas stratifying container; said two containers having their lower areas in substantially the same horizontal plane. 4. In a material storage and preserving means, comprising in combination,

a scalable material storage container, and a gas stratifying container having its inside upper area in communication with the outside atmosphere; said material container having its inside upper area in communication with the inside lower area of said stratifying container.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A MATERIAL STORAGE AND PRESERVING MEANS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A SEALABLE MATERIAL STORAGE CONTAINER, A GAS STRATIFYING CONTAINER HAVING ITS INSIDE UPPER AREA IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHERE, AND A CONDUIT HAVING ONE END COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSIDE TOP AREA OF SAID STORAGE CONTAINER, AND ITS OTHER END COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSIDE BOTTOM AREA OF SAID GAS STRATIFYING CONTAINER. 